This invention relates generally to pollution control apparatus and more particularly has reference to a disc stabilized flame afterburner which provides improved means to insure the complete oxidation of hydrocarbon released from any industrial process or equipment, such as paint baking ovens, solvent increasers, oil and solvent re-refining, food processing, varnish cookers, sulfuric acid manufacturing, sulfur scavaging plants, waste gas disposal systems, copper reclamation, steel reclamation, pathological waste disposal, wood treating equipment, pipe coating equipment, asphalt roofing, felt saturators or dryers. Characteristically, those processes and equipments release smoke and odors that violate anti-pollution laws.
Attempts to reduce the pollution generated by industrial processes and equipment have usually involved directing the pollutants into afterburners. Existing afterburners rely on providing an adequate temperature for a sufficient period of time for the hydrocarbons present to combine with free oxygen in the polluted gas stream to fully oxidize the gas stream. Those afterburners are limited in their performance as it is necessary to maintain relatively low gas velocities throughout the burner. Little provision is made for intimate mixing of the pollutants and the afterburner flame. The afterburner flame is characteristically distributed throughout the length of the afterburner as the relatively slow oxidation reaction takes place. Blow-by of microscopic carbon particles is a common problem. No provision is made to stabilize the afterburner flame. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,064,477; 2,646,758; 2,711,139; 3,741,133 and 4,181,081.